Rise Again
by fairylungs
Summary: It's nineteen years after Harry Potter defeated Voldemort. James Sirius Potter's generation is rising- and so is James. But when the Potter family is threatened by the remaining Death Eaters, what will happen? Could it be possible that the war isn't quite over yet?
1. Chapter 1

"On behalf of the Ministry of Magic, I come here today with both saddening and joyous news. I regret to inform you that our beloved Minister of Magic, Gregory Buckhorn, Order of Merlin, 1st class, has passed away," Bartholomew Budrige announced into his wand. A large gasp rose from the witches and wizards who were gathered in Diagon Alley. "Despite rumors, it has been verified that Sir Buckhorn died due to natural causes," he continued. The witches and wizards began murmuring. "However, it is with great pleasure that I present to you the new Minister of Magic- Maguvial Darkeyes." A round of applause sounded throughout the square as Maguvial Darkeyes stepped onto the stage. With a flick of his wand, Bartholomew Budrige sent fireworks into the gray, stormy sky as a banner with Maguvial's face on it sprung up in front of Olivander's wand store.

Maguvial held up his hands as he stepped towards the podium. The audience quickly quieted down and listened carefully, eager to hear from the new Minister of Magic. "Thank you everyone for welcoming me so graciously into this position," Maguvial began, holding his wand to his throat. "I was so very saddened when I learned of Sir Buckhorn's death. It is tragic when our community loses a man like Gregory Buckhorn. He was intelligent, innovative, and most importantly, he was a faithful leader. I am most honoured to have been asked to fill his shoes and I promise you to do the best I can and be the best Minister of Magic I can be. I have many ideas and am eager to help change our community for the better and live up to Gregory Buckhorn's former title. Thank you very much once again, and have a wonderful day," he said. As though to prove his newfound power, Maguvial thrust his wand into the air, sending a bolt of lightning cracking through the sky. The threatening clouds opened up and rain poured down on the cheering witches and wizards.

"Thank you, Minister, and I am sure we are all eager to see what changes you will bring to our lives. And thank you everyone for attending. Due to the weather, I am sure you are all eager to return to your homes so do not delay. The Daily Prophet will be reporting an article which will hopefully answer all your questions. Good-bye and good-day." Bartholomew Budrige followed the Minister off the stage and out of Diagon Alley. Outside, a sleek black car awaited them and Bartholomew opened the door for the Minister. "This Muggle vehicle will return us to the Ministry. We would fly but the weather's a bit rough for that," he joked nervously.

"Why so nervous, Bartholomew? I'm the Minister of Magic, not the Dark Lord," Maguvial laughed.

"Of course Sir," he replied. "The Dark Lord has been dead for twenty three years, Sir," Bartholomew reminded. Climbing into the car after the minister, Bartholomew closed the car door and did up his seatbelt.

"You're very handy with Muggle contraptions," the Minister noted, raising an eyebrow. Bartholomew shrugged and laughed nervously once again. "Filthy creatures, Muggles. I don't understand why anyone in their right mind would want to mate with one, do you?" the Minister inquired, stroking his wand.

"Lots of people mate with Muggles these days," Bartholomew replied, looking down at the floor and shuffling his feet.

The Minister reached out a hand and tilted Bartholomew's chin so he was looking at him. "Don't worry, Bartholomew Budrige. I know that you married a Muggle. Her name is Jennifer White-Budrige. She is thirty-seven years old. Her parents are Marissa and Jackson White. She grew up in Dallas, Texas. I also know that you had a child named Ravaerris. She is sixteen years old, attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and is in Huffelpuff house. She is frequently seen with Carissa Blackson from Huffelpuff house and is rumoured to be dating James Sirius Potter from Gryffindor house. Tell me, when is Ravaerris leaving for Hogwarts?" the Minister asked casually, pointing his wand at Bartholomew.

"How do you know all of that?" Bartholomew asked, reaching for his own wand slowly. Looking at the Minister, Bartholomew wasn't sure whether it was the dark lighting or only something he hadn't noticed before, but could detect a trace of evil green in his eyes.

"It is not important how I attain my information but if you must know, I have been watching your daughter for quite some time now. You may say I have been watching her ever since she began dating James Potter. But you did not answer my question, Bartholomew Budrige- when is she leaving for Hogwarts? What date? What time?" he asked again and his eyes gleamed menacingly.

Bartholomew looked at him and furrowed his eyebrows. "She is leaving on Sep-september first at elev-eleven o'clock," he stuttered in response.

"See? It isn't that hard to give the information I desire. Now, I have one more question. What time does your wife return from her job at the Muggle hospital?"

"Why?" Bartholomew asked in surprise. Maguvial did not reply but for a threatening thrust of his wand, closer to Bartholomew. "Five o'clock! She gets home at five o'clock," he shouted, raising his hands.

"Lovely. Now, hand me your wand," Maguvial demanded, holding out his free hand. Bartholomew obliged, not daring to question the man who held a wand so close to his throat. "I am going to tell you this only once, which will be enough. The Dark Lord may be dead but the Death Eaters are still very much alive. For nineteen years we have been planning our return to power. We plan on destroying every last Potter alive and every person who dared to fight for him. I will kill you in a moment and then I will go to your home and kill your wife. After that, I will use your daughter to penetrate Hogwarts school and I will find the Potter boy. I will kill the Potter boy and his family. And then, the Death Eaters will return to power because there will be no Potters left to stop us."

"What?" Bartholomew asked in surprise. But he was never around to hear the response before Maguvial Darkeyes, the new Minister of Magic, cast the Avada Kedavra spell and killed Bartholomew. Knocking on the glass window that separated him from the driver, he ordered the driver to take him to the Burdrige's house.

Leaning back on the leather seat, Maguvial raised the sleeve of his suit and stroked the familiar Dark sign that sat on his wrist. "It won't be long, my Lord. You'll see. We will figure out a way to bring you back. We will."

Maguvial sat at the kitchen table, staring at the pitiful body of Jennifer White-Budrige and stroking his wand. A look of pure horror was forever plastered on her face and her blank eyes stared back at him. He felt no sense of guilt, only strong achievement. "Why on earth are you staring at me like that? Everyone should know that the Death Eaters are returning! We may not have a Lord but we will soon," he said, standing up and raising his hands to the ceiling.

Outside, the rain still poured down endlessly. Behind him, the rain dropped rhythmically through a hole in the roof into a tin pan. "Filthy Muggles. They can't even fix a roof!" he said and with a flick of his wand, the hole was filled. "That's better," he said and looked back at the Muggle.

"Mom, are you home?" a young girl's soft voice rang through the house. Maguvial grinned and sat back down at the kitchen table. "Mom?" she asked again. Maguvial heard footsteps in the hallway outside the kitchen and saw her shadow approaching.

As Ravaerri White-Budrige entered the kitchen, her eyes first landed upon the Minister. After her brows furrowed in confusion, she saw her mother. "What-" she began but never got the chance to finish her sentence before Maguvial cast the Cruciato curse.

Ravaerri dropped down onto the floor, withering and crying out in pain. "There's no use in crying, Mudblood. Nobody can hear you," Maguvial said, crouching down before her. "Nobody's going to help you."

When it finally ended, Ravaerri remained lying on the floor, trying to catch her breath and figure out a plan of escape. "Why did you kill-" she began but was once again struck by the curse. Letting out a scream, she flopped around on the floor, her long dirty blonde hair fanning out around her and pain flashing in her blue eyes.

"I killed your parents because I needed to get to _you. _I understand you're dating the oh-so special son of Harry Potter. Well, I'll make this rather easy. You're going to go to Hogwarts, as intended, and you will use a certain James Sirius Potter to get a certain Maurader's map," he said and ended the curse. "Have you heard of this map?" Ravaerri nodded, too exhausted to speak. "Have you seen the map?" One again, Ravaerri nodded. "Good. Now, you will get that map and you will send it to me. Simple enough?"

Propping herself up on her elbows, Ravaerri glared at him, the green flecks in his eyes flashing. "Why do you need the map?" she asked, panting.

Maguvial laughed and crouched down before her. "All you need to know is that you must get that map to help the Death Eaters rise again," he said.

"Never! I will never help you and the Death Eaters! I'll die before I do!" Ravaerri cried, coming up onto her knees.

Maguvial laughed and then took out his wand threateningly, no trace of humor in his eyes. "Stupid, stupid girl. I think you should understand that I could get my hands on that map in more than one way and I could just kill you. One spell and you won't be here anymore. But the plans will still carry on. So, you could do as I say and save the lives of your friends or you could refuse, I will kill you and all your friends too. What would you prefer?" he asked, raising a thick eyebrow.

Ravearri nodded sadly and began to crawl away from his wand, pointed menacingly at her heart. "Smart choice, Mudblood. You can send it to the Ministry of Magic once you get your hands on it. Oh, and one more thing-" he said, raising and walking towards the side door. "You will tell nobody about this. Or else I will kill you, your friends, the people you told, and anyone who has laid eyes on you. Alright?" he said.

Nodding, Ravearri crawled clumsily backwards until she was plastered against the wall. And with a flick of his wand, Maguvial cast the Cruciato curse and left the house.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Come on, come on," Ginny Potter urged her children. "Eat up. We need to leave in five minutes if you plan on making that train." She shoved the last bit of bacon onto her children's plates and handed out another pancake to each of them.

Harry Potter wrapped an arm around her waist and pushed her down onto her seat. "Maybe if you stopped feeding everyone else and ate a little yourself, we would be a little bit faster," he teased her. Ginny smacked him with her dishtowel but eagerly dug into her food. Exhausted from the weeks she had spent packing, Ginny was eager for the rest.

"Have you heard from Ravaerri yet, James?" Harry asked tenderly, noticing his son had barely touched his food. James shook his head sadly, not bothering to speak or even look at his father. "I'm sure she's just upset. You'll be able to talk to her on the train today," he said optimistically. James shrugged and Ginny quickly pulled James towards their bedroom.

"James has been taking this news very hard but I think he's even more upset that Ravaerri hasn't written him," Ginny scolded. "There's no need to be bringing up the subject all the time."

Harry removed his arm from her firm grasp and placed it on his hip. "Do you not remember how much they used to write to each other? James would sit at his window just waiting for a response, and they would always come within the hour! I don't think this is normal. I understand grieving but don't you think she would write at least one letter? It's been almost a month and yet, nothing!" Harry exclaimed.

Ginny sighed and pushed back the hair from Harry's forehead softly, revealing the scar. "I think you're turning nothing into something much bigger," she complained, placing her delicate fingers on the physical reminder of all that had taken place only twenty-three years ago.

Harry turned away, self-conscious about the scar. He almost wished that it could just disappear and he wouldn't have to withstand all the whispering that went on. Every witch or wizard he passed knew about how he had survived the curse and, of course, killed Lord Voldemort. "We'd better get going if we're going to make the train. I'll get the car- you get the kids," Harry said, changing the subject and turning back to his wife cheerfully.

Leaving through the front door, Ginny walked back towards the kitchen, where the children still sat. "Come on, we've got to get going," Ginny said, clapping her hands. Albus Severus Potter pushed back his chair and quickly ran outside, leaving behind his dirty plate and coat. James rose from his seat and solemnly placed his plate in the sink and left for the car.

Hanging back, Lily Luna Potter looked around nervously and then tugged on her mother's sleeve. "Mom, do you think Lorcan still likes me?" she asked quietly.

Crouching down in front of her youngest child, Ginny broke into a grin. All summer long, Lily had been mooning over their dear friend Luna Lovegood's son, Lorcan Lovegood-Scamander. After writing to Luna, Ginny had found out that Lorcan was just as in love as she was. Not to mention his twin brother, Lysander, also liked Lily and was rather jealous. "Lorcan is mad for you! And if he is bonkers enough to _not _like you, you can always snatch Lysander," she teased. Lily's face broke into a grin, one she recognized from pictures of Harry's father. Running out the door, Lily climbed into the car, leaving only Ginny to quickly grab her coat and follow her family outside.

"Do you have everything?" Ginny asked anxiously. Albus was terrible at remembering crucial things he must pack- one year it was his robe, one year his books, one year his cauldron, and one year his wand.

A chorus of _yes_ came from the back seat and everyone laughed, except for James. Staring out the window, James looked miserably for an owl that he knew wouldn't be there. Ginny grabbed his son's hand and patted it comfortingly. James cracked a smile for his mother's sake and then, Harry turned the key and drove off towards King's Cross Station.

**I've struggled with this part as I want to get across more about how Ravaerri hasn't written because of… well, you'll find out…. But I also want to introduce the characters. Any opinions? I love getting reviews so please, review it up! **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Rose Weasley waved good-bye to her parents until they were out of sight and then closed the window against the frigid wind and her bushy red hair settled down. Plopping down onto her seat, she looked around at the boys in her cart. Her best friend Jessica Sprout and she were the only girls in the cart however she was already raiding the trolley for sweets. Her cousin Albus sat across from her and beside him was Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. Sitting beside her meekly was her little brother, Hugo. "Really boys, I don't understand why you don't wave good-bye to your parents. You're not going to see them for ten months!" she scolded.

Scorpius and Albus looked at each other, surpresing laughter. "My father doesn't even want me going to Hogwarts because of all the half-bloods and muggle-borns. If I waved good-bye to him, he would think I was mocking him," Scorpius explained. Beside him, Albus just shrugged with no good excuse for ignoring his parents.

"And you, Hugo? Mom and Dad will be really upset that you didn't wave good-bye. And you know mom- she'll worry that a chocolate frog bit off your nose or something," Rose complained about her younger brother.

"Dad couldn't care less if I waved or not!" Hugo said quietly. "And I said good-bye to them privately on the platform- no need to say good-bye again in front of all those people," he explained.

Rose rolled her eyes and opened the door of the cabin. Peering down the hallway, Rose couldn't find Jessica anywhere. _She probably forgot about us, _thought Rose. Rose felt her heart beat faster at the thought of returning into the cabin with Scorpius all alone. Jessica had always filled the awkward silences when she couldn't think of anything else to say. Rose had always been a tom-boy and never worried about boys because of her alternative looks. But Scorpius was everything Rose wished he wasn't- smart, cunning, charming, and completely beautiful. Despite the stories her parents, aunts, uncles, family friends, and cousins told her about the Malfoys (particularly Draco Malfoy), she wasn't turned off. Scorpius wasn't pro-pureblood like everyone said he was- one of his favourite classes was Muggle studies! And his sleek blonde hair, deep brown eyes, and tall, toned body was the subject of many dreams. Rose shook herself out of her thoughts and returned to her seat.

"Where's Jessica?" Scorpius asked her.

"I think she's forgotten about us," Rose Weasley joked. Grabbing a handful of knuts, sickles, and gold galleons, Rose stood up. "I'm going to go get our snacks from the trolley. Does anyone care to join me?" she asked, hand on the door.

Scorpius stood and grabbed some change from his bag. "I will," he agreed and Rose left the cabin before he could see the colour creeping up her cheeks. Rose scolded herself for acting mean again- whenever she felt herself crushing on Scorpius in public, she would instantly try to cover it by being harsh. "Wait up!" came Scorpius' voice from behind and she heard running footsteps behind her.

Rose stopped and Scorpius soon skidded to a stop next to her. "Are you ready _now?" _asked Rose sarcastically, raising a thick eyebrow. Scorpius grinned stupidly and nodded. Rose turned on her heels and continued down the hallway towards the trolley, brimming with sweets. "I'll have a chocolate frog and a pumpkin pasties please," Rose asked the witch who ran the Honeydukes Express trolley.

"I'll have a bag of Bertie's Botts Every Flavour Beans, Jelly Slugs, and three Cauldron Cakes," Scorpius asked. "I'm going to share," he said back to Rose's surprised face.

"That'll be eleven sickles," the plump witch said with a smile, handing them the sweets.

"I've got it," Scorpius said, handing the lady a gold Galleon. "You can keep the change," he insisted kindly and the witch smiled appreciatively. Rose turned away, grabbing her frog and pasties from Scorpius's arms hastily and began walking down the hallway, her boots stomping on the carpeted floor, sending a cloud of dust up with every step. "What's wrong?" Scorpius said. Rose ignored him and continued stomping down the hallway.

Rose walked past their cabin and didn't stop until she was locked inside the large bathroom. The bathroom appeared smaller than a broom closet on the outside but, with the help of an Undetectable Extension charm, the bathroom extended further than a Quidditch field. Locking herself into a stall, Rose sat down on the toilet and scolded herself. Scorpius probably thought she was too proud to accept a friendly gift! _Now he'll never like me, _thought Rose. Opening her chocolate frog, she stared down at it sadly and let it bounce out of the bathroom.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Okay guys," Roxanne Weasley addressed the small group of assembled Gryffindors in front of the fireplace, clapping her hands twice. The group quieted down, respecting the authority Roxanne had as head of the Quidditch team. "Due to the fact that two of our Chasers are now graduated from Hogwarts, we're going to be holding tryouts this weekend. I expect lots of eager first years but, who knows? Some of them might actually be good," she announced. The rest of the team groaned at the thought of training some young newbies.

"Oh, enough with your groaning! Basically, it will be pretty simple. Although we're looking for Chasers, all of you need to be there at 9:00 a.m. sharp! If you aren't there," Roxanne said threateningly, raising an eyebrow at James. "then we could easily open up your spot on the team," she laughed. "We're going to do some warm-ups and flying tests, followed by them teaming up and us observing. Then we'll play some scrimmages and after they leave, we'll think it through," she said. "I expect us to be done by three o'clock and we can post the results at dinnertime. Any questions?" Roxanne asked the overwhelmed group.

James raised his hand. "Is it possible that you've gotten even bossier over the summer?" James teased and the rest of the group laughed. Roxanne turned away, red rising in her tanned cheeks. "We haven't even started classes and already you're bombarding us with Quidditch stuff," James complained and the group murmured in agreement. Hugo, James, Lorcan, and even her brother Fred looked at her angrily. "Is all you do during the summer think about school?" James cried out.

Roxanne turned away from the boys and looked into the fire, telling herself to calm down. In truth, James had been spot on. Roxanne did indeed spend most of her summer devising a plan to keep the Quidditch Cup and score well on her final exams. Roxanne thought she was very much like her aunt Hermione. From the stories she heard, Hermione had lived and breathed school. Roxanne felt the same way. Outside of school, Roxanne felt out of place and awkward. Back at school, in her classes and on the Quidditch field, she felt like she finally belonged. And, of course, there was her unspoken goal- to be Head Girl.

"Well, James, you're officially off the team," Roxanne snapped, turning back around with fury in her eyes. The team was silent and stared at her, dumbstruck. "You can try-out on Saturday with all the others. You aren't so special anymore, Potter. And Headmistress McGonagall told me to tell you that unless your grades and class behaviour improved, you won't be allowed on the team. That means no detentions this week, or else."

James stood up, knocking over the wooden table in front of him and the five butterbeers that sat on it. "You can't do that! I'm the best Keeper this team has ever had!" James roared. A few students sitting on the opposite side of the common room, watching the rain as it fell heavily down, looked scared and scurried to their dormitories. James stood there, nostrils flaring and green eyes blaring.

"I'm afraid I just did, Potter," spat Roxanne, flipping her long black hair behind her broad shoulder. She stared back at James, not breaking eye contact, one hand reaching for her wand just in case. Pulling it discreetly out of her back pocket, Roxanne got ready to hex him.

"Expelliarmus!" James shouted and Roxanne's oak 12 inch wand flew from her hand. Staring at it as it flew across the room and landed loudly on the wooden stairs, Roxanne looked up at the older wizard.

With the wand, Roxanne knew she was more advanced and could easily beat Potter, if he even dared to try fighting with her. But while defenceless, Roxanne looked upon James as a skilled, terrifying wizard. "You wouldn't dare," Roxanne said, trying to act bravely. But her voice cracked and James broke out into a grin.

James put his wand into his back pocket and slowly turned around. Heading up the stairs, James cast one look back at Roxanne. "I'll see you on Saturday then," he said and left for the dormitories.

Roxanne let out a deep breath once he was gone. "Bloody hell," her brother Fred said quietly. "What did you just do?"


	5. Chapter 5

Scorpius stared dismaly out the window, at the windy day. The trees ruffled in the breeze and the lake was still, bracing itself and protecting it's inhabitants from the impending storm. Scorpius's Charms homework lay untouched on his lap, the spells a blur in his preoccupied mind. The fire cackled in the fireplace, illuminating the abandoned dormitory. The rest of the students were all milling about in the common room or dawdling in the library to complete their first-day's homework. However, Scorpius wasn't in his usual happy mood. The memory of his encounter with Rose haunted him.

"Hey mate," Albus said, interrupting Scorpius's thoughts. Looking up, Scorpius saw Albus make his way over to the window seat in which he sat. Scorpius smiled meekly in return. "Still upset?" Albus asked, flipping his shaggy red hair away from his brown and green eyes. Scorpius noidded and Albus sighed. "It's alright mate. If I were you, I'd just ask her out already! We're going to Hogsmeade on Sunday. Why not then?"

Scorpius slammed his feet down on the floor of the dormitory. "I'm not asking her because she'd say no!" he yelled.

Albus raised his hands in the air, mocking surrender. "Sorry but, I think she doesn. I mean, my dad and her parents are the bloody Goldren Trio and we spent practically all summer together," he began remorsefully and Scorpius felt a sharp pang of jealousy. "I think it's pretty obvious that she likes you."

Scorpius sat up straighter and with renewed energy. "Really, how do you know?" he asked and then scolded himself for breaking his cool. Albus laughed andn shrugged his shoulders mercilessly. Scorpius lunged at Albus who was headed for his bed.

Missing him, Scorpius sighed and headed for his own bed, stripping down to his knickers. Climbing into their beds, the boys stared at each other from across the room. Scorpius looked at him with a glare, trying to cover his pleading eyes. Albus wore his trademark smirk, enjoying having the upperhand in their endless competition.

"Would you just tell me already?" Scorpius cried, throwing a green silk pillow across the room.

Albus laughed again, causing Scorpius to cringe at the thought of how he was begging for his best friend and fiercest competitior to reveal information. "Fine, fine," he agreed. "Well, whenever she heard your name, her face would turn as bright as my hair! And boy, was her diary ever something!" he exclaimed.

"You read her diary?" Scorpius asked, scandalized.

Albus nodded. "All sorts of good stuff in there. Although, I never realized that you smealt of freshly cut grass or that your hair seemed to hold the sunshine in each strand," he teased and Scorpius flung another pillow across the room.

"Oh, shut up," Scorpius ordered. "I'm going to bed," he said and flopped down onto his bed. His neck felt stiff from the lack of pillows but he fell asleep with a hopeless grin plastered across his face.

"How are you feeling today" Jessica Sprout's deep voice pierced through Rose Weasley's dreams and her green hair tickled her freckled face. Rose opened her eyes slowly and shielded them quickly from the early morning sun.

"I'm fine," Rose replied groggily, sitting up in bed. Her bushy red hair tangled with her nightgown. She was still thinking of the last time she had spoken with Scorpius on the train. They had seen each other but hadn't spoken. Albus had bombarded her, blocking her path to thewashroom, threatening to hex her, and leaving countless notes on her bed. Even her younger cousin Lucy Weasley knew something was up and kept trying to make her fix things. However, she had refused to approach Scorpius. She wasn't even sure if someone should be apologizing. What for?

Jessica, one of the most oblivious people she knew, even suspected something. So when the questions came, Rose had pretended to be sick. So far, it had worked. She had been playing sick all week. "Do you want to go catch some breakfast?" Jessica asked eagerly. Rose could tell that she was relieved she didn't need to play all caring Hufflepuff much longer.

Rose took a deep breath. Part of her was screaming no, urging her to just ask Jessica to bring her something back. No doubt Scorpius would probably be there. But she knew she would have to face him sooner or later. Her Gryffindor blood encouraged her to agree. "Sure," she agreed and got out of bed. Her body felt sore from lyiung in bed from Saturday until now, also a Saturday. Looking towards her bedside table, Rose was reminded of the piles of homework she faced from the week of school she missed. "I guess I know how I'll be spending my weekend," she complained as she dressed and got ready for the day.

On her way down to the Ravenclaw common room, Rose ran into Lucy. "Hi Rose! Hi Jessica! You're just the person I wanted to see!" Lucy said, grabbing Rose's arm.

"Hi Lucy," replied rose kindly to her quiet cousin. Rose was used to Lucy looking up to her and she really didn't mind. She was especially fond of Lucy and tried her best to be a good role model for her. "What's up?"

"Well, today Christopher Abernaki's holding try-outs for Seeker on the Quidditch team. I've decided to go out for the team!" Lucy explained and Rose smiled encouragingly. Rose could tell from the games they played at family get-togethers that Lucy was a great Quidditch player. "Do you think that you would be able to come and watch? The try-outs are at 4:00 until dinnertime, after the Gryffindor try-outs."

Rose smiled. "Sure, I'll definitely be there!" Rose stated and a grin broke out over her cousin's nervous face. Rose embraced her and patted her back encouragingly. "You're going to do a great job Lucy!" she said and then she and Jessica continued to the Great Hall.

As they reached the big doors that led into the Great Hall, Rose placed on hand on the wall and took a deep breath, summoning her courage. Rose wasn't prepared to speak to Scorpius and didn't know how to explain her absence to him. Rose closed her eyes and pushed open the door, despite the screaming nerves that were telling her to run away. Stepping inside after a jab in the shoulder from Jessica, Rose opened her eyes and quickly examined each table. Scorpius wasn't there.

Scorpius splashed cold water into his face, which bit into his skin and stung his eyes. Peering into the mirror, Scorpius was disgusted with himself. "Blimey Scor," he scolded himself. "You can't even ask her how she's feeling?"

He had ducked into this bathroom while walking to the Great Hall. He had been about to approach Rose when he had chickened out. He had practiced what he was going to say a million times. "Hi Rose. How are you feeling?" he said to his reflection and bit his thumbnail.

"Who are you talking to?" a girl's annoying voice floated out to him, followed by a giggle. Scorpius turned around, startled and looked around for the source of the voice. A girl's ghost came floating out from the farthest stall. She wore a blue sweater and a long skirt, with her black hair in pigtails. "You know, I heard talking to yourself is one of the first signs of madness!" she said and quickly flew towards him, placing both transparent hands on his chest, flirting. "Not to worry. I don't mind mad boys."

"I'm not mad," he said defensively. "Myrtle, what would you do in my situation?" he asked, ducking out from her cold hands.

"And what's your situation?" she said, following him around the circle of sinks, giggling all the time.

Scorpius sat down on the floor, his head leaning against the porcelain sink. Moany Myrtle sat, or rather floated above a sink and peered down at him curiously. "Well, you see, I like this girl named Rose," he began and Moany Myrtle nodded encouragingly. "I was going to ask her to go to Hogsmeade with me but I sort of, well, I got scared. This has never happened to me before. I don't know what to do," he said.

Moany Myrtle floated away from the sink so she was in front of him. "Why don't you write a note and have a friend deliver it? That way, you can't back out," she proposed and Scorpius's eyes lit up at the idea. "Once I received a note from a boy named Oliver and I immediately fell in love with him. Only later did I find out it was a joke. Then I came in here to cry for three whole days. Visit soon, would you? It gets awfully lonely in here. Nobody likes _me,_" she complained, pouting. Scorpius agreed half-heartedly and fled from the bathroom with a renewed hope.

The parchment lay on the table, illuminated by the fire that never went out. The quill was perched in Scorpius's hand but was unmoving. "Come on, you twit," he ordered himself. "Just write it the way you would say it in person."

He began writing, the sound of his quill scratching the parchment the only sound in the deserted Slytherin common room. "Dear Rose," he began. "I hope you would like to dine tomorrow in Hogsmeade?" he wrote but crumpled it up. "Too formal," he scolded and tossed it into the trash. He went through a hundred notes, writing differently each time. In French, Gaelic, like a muggle gangster, and even dabbled in poetry. Finally, he settled on a note. "Hi Rose! Would you like to go to the Hog's Head with me tomorrow? Let me know!" He had decided on the Hog's Head to offer a bit of privacy. He didn't want to be rejected in public. He signed his name and stood; eager to do what he needed to before he backed down. "Albus!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey readers! I cannot say how sorry I am that I haven't been writing since, I think January or February. I got hooked with this website on Christmas vacation and then, life started again! Whether it was a dance competition, a sports tournament, dance practice, homework, vacation, or school- I just didn't have time to write! And when I did, I had serious writer's block! I AM SO SORRY! But, it is summer now! I can't say I will be writing a chapter every day because I still have dance and sports and, I'm taking a Grade 9 English course. But, I'm going to try to post a chapter every week. That might be divided with my other stories though (sorry!) Anyhow, I know I haven't written and I'm sorry. But, I'm back. A little rusty so take it easy on me! **

James woke to the sound of urgent, quick feet coming from the hallway outside the Gryffindor common room. He sat up on the couch, rubbing his eyes and looking around in confusion. The last thing he remembered was sitting up brooding about his try-out and, most importantly, Raeverri. He had seen her in the halls but she had completely ignored him, walking by as though he were a stranger. He had even called her name when she had turned and stared at him, before moving on. She had been wandering around the school like a loner, confused and angry, all week long. His try-out had gone horribly, the memory of their encounter distracting him the whole time. He had been beaten by some first-year in the scrimmage and the memory of Roxanne smirking triumphantly made him cringe. He returned to the common room after dinner in a state of distress, and drank a few bottles of alcohol some seventh year had given him. People had avoided him all night until, he guessed, he passed out on the couch.

Now, the urgent voices in the hallway leaked through the wall, allowing James to catch glimpses of the conversation. "We need to get her to the hospital wing immediately," a deep voice said anxiously. "We have no idea how long she's been passed out or why."

"Yes, of course. We should contact someone immediately," a woman's voice responded. James stood up and moved closer to the doorway. "But who do we call?"

"What do you mean?" the man asked. "Her parents are likely to want to know."

"Don't you know who this is Professor?" asked the woman. "This is Raeverri Budrige. Her parents died this summer."

James felt himself go lightheaded, placing a hand on the wall to keep him standing. He pushed open the door and scurried out into the hallway, looking around desperately. Right to his left, he saw Professor Nigel, who taught Muggle studies, and Professor Longbottom, his family friend and herbology professor, who were crouching down, obstructing James's view. Pushing through them, he gasped as he saw Raeverri's ragged body. Her long, dirty blonde hair was tangled and frazzled around her head. Her clear blue eyes with the delicate green flecks were blank and unseeing. Her skinny body was splashed around on the ground and James saw a few broken bones. He would have believed she was dead if it wasn't for the shallow rise and fall of her chest.

"Potter," Professor Nigel said, placing a hand on his shoulder. James shrugged it away, collapsing down onto his knees. He took Raeverri's unbroken hand and squeezed it, willing her to come back.

"Rae? Rae? Please don't do this," he begged.

"James," Neville Longbottom said, pulling him back by tugging on his messy robes. "Do you know anything about this? Did you hear anything? Why was she out here instead of with the Hufflepuffs?" he asked, his hand clenching into a fist on James's robes.

"I don't know! I didn't—I didn't hear anything. I was, I was out cold," James sputtered.

"We can talk to James later, Professor," Professor Nigel said and Neville released his grip. "Right now, we need to get her to the hospital wing. James, go back to sleep. We'll talk to you in the morning."

James nodded and stepped back as Professor Nigel began to levitate Raeverri down the hall. He watched until they turned the corner and he could see them no more. Upon return to his dorm, he stepped back in confusion as he opened the door to bright, blinding lights.

"James!" Fred said as he entered the room. "We didn't hear anything but, I got up to go to the washroom and found this," he said, motioning to the mess around James's bed. His trunk and dressing table drawers were thrown open, the contents spewed across the floor. "They didn't take anything except for one," Fred said, twisting his hands sheepishly as James sat down on his bed and looked around in shock at the mess.

"What did they take?" he asked, looking up.

"The Maurader's Map."


	7. Chapter 7

James held onto Raeverri's hand, asleep with exhaustion from his sleepless, anxious night. He had counted the hours until morning and then woke up, leaving the Gryffindor tower without changing or washing at all. His hair, usually messy like his father's, was tangled and repulsive, with crumbs of food and stains of butter beer in it. He had bags under his eyes and his body and teeth reeked. But James had been too anxious to do anything and rushed out of the tower in the morning, hurrying to Raeverri's bedside.

She looked much like she had the night before, except her body wasn't thrown around. She lay peacefully on her back, and her eyes had been closed. She had a bandage on her arm, where blood was seeping through. Her left arm and both legs were levitated in the air. Madame Blackhorn, the nurse who was the new replacement for the ancient Madame Pomfrey, needed her patients to be awake before she could mend the broken bones. So for now, they hung in the air. Her left leg was twisted at the knee in a position that was painful to even look at. Her right ankle was snapped too, swelling like a tree trunk and bruised darker than the night sky. Her arm, though, was the worst. Her forearm had been snapped completely in half, in a way that her hand was touching her elbow. The bone poked through the skin where it was bent, a nauseating sight. James had been sickened but, exhausted from his night and horribly hung over, he had quickly fallen asleep.

Only now, as he heard a gasp of pain from the hospital bed, did James wake. He shot up in confusion, his eyes blurring before they focussed on Raeverri. She had waken and was craning her bruised neck to see, taking in her injuries with horror. When she saw her arm, twisted and torn, she threw her head over the side of the bed and threw up in shock.

"Alright Miss Budrige, alright," the soothing voice of Madame Blackhorn called out, as she scurried out of her office. She took Raeverri gently by the shoulders and placed her back on the bed. James flicked his wand, cleaning up the mess instantly. "Now, we have some mending to do," Madame Blackhorn said. James rolled his eyes. _As if she didn't know, _he thought.

"Potter, do you mind?" she said. James took the cue and backed out of this room, hearing the cries of pain as Raeverri's bones snapped back into place.

James was back in the chair by Raeverri's bed, where she was sleeping fitfully. He was still exhausted. After he had left the room, he had spent an hour being grilled by Headmaster McGonagall for information about the attack. She hadn't understood how, if James hadn't heard anything, he had gone into the corridor and found her. So, he had confessed to drinking which earned him a detention afterwards. He had also explained how his items had been searched, with the map being taken. James guessed that soon, there would be a big investigation about the whole matter. _"An attack on a student is a serious matter, Potter. There will be serious measures taken to solve this problem." _ The memory of their conversation still haunted him.

James was shaken out of his thoughts as Raeverri gasped and sat up, shaking feverishly. "Rae? How are you do-"

"James- I'm, I'm so sorry. He made me do it!" Rae whispered fiercely. She thrashed around in her sheets, laying back down.

"Who made you do what?" James asked, grabbing her hand. All day, people had been asking her about the accident as well. But she hadn't remembered anything. She said the last thing she remembered was going to bed and then waking up in the hospital wing. Something about it had bothered James. Something about the foggy look in her eyes or her monotone voice hadn't seemed right. It was just so unlike her! Raeverri was usually bubbly and friendly and looked at you with her piercing eyes, making you feel as though she knew all your secrets. That look had been gone from her eyes, no traces of the Raeverri James knew. Until now.

"The Minister- he came!" she gasped. "Take the map. Take the map!"

"Rae! What's going on!" he whispered, scared that she would go back to her monotone secrets if Nurse Blackhorn came.

"James! Go James!" she cried. She was shaking now, twitching and slashing around the bed frantically as though she were having a fit. Then, her voice changed altogether. It was deep and rusty, cracking at the slightest change in pitch.

"The Potters are not safe anymore."


	8. Chapter 8

"James! James!" Harry said, raising his hand up in a gesture of authority. "Slow down son," he ordered. He motioned for James to sit down on the chair opposite him and Ginny. James took the seat and ran his callused hands through his messy hair.

"You said in your letter that they said something about not being safe," Luna Lovegood said calmly. She was always the one able to calm an entire room and think wisely, which was why she was such a beloved friend and mother. "What was that exactly?" Everyone listened carefully. They were over at the Potters' house celebrating a very happy Christmas. Now, with all the children sleeping in the cramped bedrooms, the adults and older children were listening to James talk about Raeverri and her odd behaviour. On one couch, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione sat. Luna and her husband, Rolf, sat to the right of James. Molly, Charlie, Angelina, Fred the 2nd, and George sat on another couch against the right wall. Bill, Fleur, Louis, Dominique, Victoire, and Teddy stood next to the couch, holding hands tightly. Percy, Audrey, and Molly sat on a table, their legs dangling over the side. Every Christmas, the large group gathered at the Potter's house for Christmas holidays, exchanging gifts and stories. It was always cramped as the house wasn't very big. The salary of an Auror and a Quidditch player didn't amount to much more than five small, cramped bedrooms and lots of mismatched couches, chairs, and clutter. But somehow, the large crowd managed to be silent as they waited for James to answer.

"She said, 'The Potter are not safe anymore,'" James told them. There was an uproar, people shouting out questions and some people just babbling in fear.

"Be quiet or you'll wake the children," Hermione shushed everyone. They quieted down, respecting Hermione's authority. "Now James, your room was also broken into the night of the attack?" she questioned. James nodded. "Was anything taken?" she asked. James fidgeted nervously, looking at the floor. "James?" she persisted.

"The Maurader's Map," he mumbled.

"What?"

"The Maurader's Map," he said more clearly.

Harry cursed and jumped up. "Bloody hell!" he shouted. Everyone had gone mad, fear making them shout and curse like idiots. "If the wrong person got their hands on that, than we could very well be in danger! How could you be so careless?!" Harry shouted at James.

"I know, I know!" James shouted back, trying to be heard over the rest of the family. "I'm sorry Dad!" Everyone was quiet now, listening to the argument awkwardly. Ginny placed a calming hand on Harry's shoulder, and he sat back down with a sigh.

"I know you are James," Harry said. "I'm sorry." James nodded, accepting his father's apology. "But we need to find out who has that map."

"Raeverri can't have it," James explained. "They searched her and her room after the attack, looking for clues as to who did it. They didn't find any map."

"Well then who has it?" Ron asked, rolling his wrist. It cracked with each turn, reminding him of the accident he had on the job a few years before.

"She said something about the Minister. Said that he came. But she was delirious! I mean, the Minister wouldn't have taken the map, would he?" James asked nervously.

The adults looked at each other uncertainly. Hermione, Ron, and Harry, the Golden Trio, shared a knowing glance. They had survived so much together and figured out so many mysteries, they knew when the facts were pointing to an obvious solution. But, the only question was, why?


	9. Chapter 9

**Meanwhile…**

Upstairs, the children who were supposed to be sleeping pushed were talking excitedly in nervous, quiet voices. They were cramped into Lily's bedroom, where pictures of her, her family, her cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, and some new, sweet ones of her and Lorcan hung from the walls. Lorcan and Lily sat on the floor, leaning against the bed while holding hands. Lysander looked at them with envy, his face seeming distorted without his eyebrows. Over the summer, he had blown them off with one of his many experiments permanently, as it seemed. Albus and Rose, the oldest of the children, sat on the Ravenclaw quilted bed with pride. Albus looked around the room at the pictures, noticing the newest ones she had hung up since their return home. Rose fiddled with the letter Scorpius' owl had dropped off earlier, her heart melting at how sweet he was. One day, she had returned to her room and found a note on her bed. They met in the Hog's Head and since then, they had been inseparable. Roxanne sat in a chair at Lily's desk, looking at Lily's homework and secretly comparing marks. Lucy and Hugo stood, leaning against the wall coolly. They were all reeling from what they had heard from downstairs.

"So, we're in danger?" Hugo asked nervously. The rest of the kids quieted down and joined the conversation.

"Oh shut up Hugo," Albus sneered. "You're not in danger! You're a Weasley- not a Potter!"

"We're still related to you, remember? We're all related!" Hugo cried. He hated when Albus insulted him. He was always acting so superior- smarter, more handsome, and more popular. Hugo knew that he wasn't very good looking or popular or cool but that was no excuse.

"Listen," Lily said, clapping her hands twice to get attention. "It's probably not even real. It was probably some stupid joke that another student pulled. Raeverri was feverish and sick. And even if she wasn't, she's dating my brother. That's enough to make anyone bonkers!" she said and everyone laughed.

"Lily's right," agreed Albus. "Let's just all try to get some sleep. Girls in Lily's room, boys in mine," he ordered and everyone disbanded, whispering good nights to each other before they settled into bed.

But despite the reassurances and theories, Lucy went to bed feeling anxious and uneasy.

**Short, I know. And kind of pointless too. But I just like talking about the kids. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Here it is, as I promised. My chapter for this week! Enjoy and please review! **

Victoire pulled endless books and articles off the shelves of the Potter's home library, reading the titles and throwing them into separate piles- ones to read and ones to ignore. So far, it seemed as though the pile of useless books was a mile high, a mountain in comparison with the few books that Teddy was scanning for important information. Exasperated, she turned towards him, placing one hand on her slender hip and running the other through her wavy strawberry-blond hair that reached the bottom of her bum.

"Have you found anything?" she asked, finding it hard to be as serious as she felt when she saw Teddy's bright green hair. Whenever he concentrated hard, green was his go-to colour and never failed to make her laugh. Teddy looked up, his hair and eyes turning a midnight black. Standing up, he moved his way over to her, looping one arm around her skinny waist and the other played with her beautiful Veela hair.

"No, darling," he said, mocking seriousness. "Not most books have anything about whether or not the newest Minister of Magic likes to steal maps and torture teenage girls for fun." Victoire smacked him playfully, sliding out of his muscular, sexy arms. Suddenly, it hit her and she smacked her forehead, amazed and hating her stupidity.

"Of course! We've just been looking in the wrong places," Victoire said. "All of these books were written years ago! There wouldn't be anything about the newest minister in them." She was pacing now but stopped at the confused look on Teddy's face. "We need newspapers of course! They report recent happenings which is exactly what we need." Teddy seemed to finally catch on. It was sometimes annoying. Her boyfriend was by no means dumb but he wasn't an old Ravenclaw like Victoire. He was sweet and caring and brave, being the Gryffindor he was, but couldn't put two and two together with the same speed as Victoire.

"I think I remember reading something a few months ago," said Victoire. She was heading out of the door, whispering now so she didn't wake anyone. Teddy followed her, confused but not surprised at his girlfriend's intelligent babbling. She was a professor at Beauxbatons, soon to be Headmistress, and the most intelligent girl he knew. She would often ramble on and on, not making sense to anyone but herself. She was starting to dress herself warmly in hats, mitts, scarves, and coats. Teddy, not sure what else to do, dressed himself also. Victoire grabbed Teddy's hand and unexpectedly, they were flung out of the Potter's house, to the Ministry of Magic.

Teddy stumbled in the snow, falling into a big snow bank from the surprise. He moaned, his face numb with cold, stinging snow. He rolled over onto his back, wiping the snow from his face with the back of his mitten. He stood up, grumbling at Victoire, who was standing perfectly poised on the sidewalk without a hair out of place.

"A warning would have been nice," he complained and Victoire shrugged. It wasn't rude or unthoughtful. It simply meant that she was distracted and probably hadn't heard the comment. Victoire entered the Ministry of Magic quickly, Teddy jogging behind her to keep up.

Pausing at a sign, her finger scanned the page before it stopped. _Floor 234- Library. _

"The Ministry's library has everything from recipe books to novels to Muggle literature and, for our purposes, copies of every newspaper article that was ever released," Victoire explained as they boarded an elevator and began the quick, scary ascent to the 234th floor. Teddy grabbed onto the wall as the elevator went this way and that- left and right, up and down, right side up and upside down. Finally, the elevator stopped and Teddy stepped onto solid ground gratefully. Around him was the biggest library he had ever seen. The walls, no doubt extended by magic, were filled with books from top to bottom. There was even books that hung from the ceiling, suspended by magic. In the middle of the room, rows and rows of books extended way beyond where the eye could see. Tables were scattered around the room for the purpose of reading but, they too were piled high with books so that not even a finger had room on the table. Books that were supposed to have been put away by the librarian were flung across the room. Ladders were everywhere, some still zooming about magically. But nobody, not even a single house elf, was in sight.

"How the bloody hell do we find what we're looking for?" Teddy asked, mystified. Victoire scoffed. She knew how to navigate libraries like the back of her hand. They were one of the places where she felt most at home. She loved the musty smell of old books and the dimness of lights. She also loved the feeling of being the one leading others around.

"This way," she directed and began marching away purposefully, Teddy once again running behind her in an effort to keep up.

**Later….**

"No!" Victoire breathed in shock, unable to believe what she had learned. "It all makes sense now!" she exclaimed to Teddy, louder now.

"What?" asked Teddy, looking up from the article he had been reading with blurred, tired eyes.

"The day the Raeverri's parents were killed, the new Minister of Magic also gave his first public speech in Diagon Alley," Victoire began to explain. She was standing now, pacing back and forth in surprise. "A driver, named Paul Richards, a Muggle-born, was boasting about how he had driven the new Minister of Magic. It was in the article about the Minister, not about the death. _But,"_ she continued, "the man said he drove the Minister from his speech to the street of Raeverri's home! But nobody investigated that matter because they were in two different articles so didn't seem to be of any relation or importance.

"But, get this! Two days after the articles were released, the driver Paul Richards, was found dead in his bed," Victoire finished. "Don't you get it?" she asked Teddy who was slowly dawning on the realization. "The Minister killed Raeverri's parents."

The two sat in shocked silence, trying to take in what they had learned.

"What is that smell?" Teddy asked, breaking the silence. He stood up and peered over the bookcase. He cursed at the sight of a raging fire, quickly spreading among the bookcases. "We need to go- NOW!" he cried and grabbed Victoire by the arm, abandoning their books and coats.

They rushed towards the exit, dodging the fires and falling, flaming books. Suddenly, spells were being thrown at them from all directions. They ran along as fast as they could go, jumping and dodging the spells and flames. They turned a corner and stopped in their tracks as they saw the entrance flaming, blocking their way out. Teddy cursed and looked around the room desperately as Victoire shot back spells hazardously.

"Quick!" Teddy said, pulling Victoire to the left. "This way!" They ran again towards a small door, most likely the trash dispenser. They reached it just in time, nearly being hit by a deathly green curse. Teddy pushed open the door and it swung outwards, hinging at the top. He looked down. A silver steel chute led down and down until, and Teddy hoped it wasn't just a trick of the light, it opened over a trash bin beneath the winter night sky. "You go first," he instructed Victoire and helped her into the chute. "Make sure nobody is down there waiting for us," he said before she let go and slid down the chute, her blue dress being pulled up. It caught onto a nail and Teddy worried that she would be stuck there. But, after a few seconds of being caught, the fabric tore off and Victoire fell into the trash bin.

Firing back a few curses, Teddy climbed into the chute and fled from the burning library, into the stinky but safe rubbish.

"Need a hand?" Victoire asked, offering her own. Teddy grinned, his hair turning purple, and grabbed on. The world spun away until they were safely landed in the Potter's living room, a crowd of worried family members surrounding them.


End file.
